University of Waterloo 3D‑Printed Contact Lenses Ready in 20 Minutes

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have created a digital manufacturing platform that combines custom lens‑design software, a newly formulated hydrophilic silicone material and advanced vat‑photopolymerization 3D printing. The system can fabricate patient‑specific hard contact lenses in roughly 20 minutes, potentially allowing a custom lens to be designed, printed and dispensed during a single optometrist visit. Laboratory tests show the lenses are biocompatible and meet commercial optical clarity and mechanical performance standards.

The platform also incorporates an ultra‑thin, non‑contact coating step to smooth surface stair‑steps without altering the customized shape. The team, led by Professor Shirley Tang, has filed a provisional patent for the silicone formulation and is working with the Centre for Vision and Eye Research—a joint institute of the University of Waterloo and Hong Kong Polytechnic University—to move toward commercialization. The work was published in *Materials & Design* and earned a Gold Medal at the Shanghai International Exhibition of Inventions 2026.